Hong Kong - Wikitravel. Hong Kong. Location. Flag. Quick Facts. Capital. Victoria (Central)Government Parliamentary System. Currency Hong Kong dollar ($, HKD). Area 1,0. 92km. It's a place with multiple personalities as a result of being both Cantonese Chinese and having been under British colonisation.

Today, the former British colony is a major tourism destination for China's increasingly affluent mainland population. It's an important hub in East Asia with global connections to many of the world's cities.

It is a unique destination that has absorbed people and cultural influences from places as diverse as Vietnam and Vancouver and proudly proclaims itself to be Asia's World City. Before the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1. Hong Kong had been a British colony for nearly 1. As a result, most infrastructure inherits the design and standards of Britain. During the 1. 95. Hong Kong is now famous for being a leading financial centre in East Asia, with the presence of local and some of the most recognized banks from around the world.

Hong Kong is also famous for its transition port, transporting a significant volume of exports from China to the rest of the world. With its political and legal independence, Hong Kong is known as the Oriental Pearl with a twist of British influence in the culture. The traveller weary of its crowded streets may be tempted to describe it as Hong Kongcrete. Yet, this territory with its cloudy mountains and rocky islands is mostly a rural landscape. Much of the countryside is classified as Country Park and, although 7 million people are never far away, it is possible to find pockets of wilderness that will reward the more intrepid tourist. It was first incorporated into China during the Qin Dynasty and largely remained under Chinese rule until 1. Qing Dynasty, with a brief interruption at the end of the Qin Dynasty, when a Qin official established the kingdom of Nam Yuet, which later fell to the Han Dynasty.

The agreement was later rectified in August 1. Treaty of Nanking, after which the Crown Colony of Hong Kong was established with Victoria City (present day Central) as the capital.

Senior Business/Project Manager &ndash; Trade Receivables Finance Aston Carter Hong Kong. Meet Hong Kong singles. Connecting singles both locally and worldwide. Review your matches for free. All the deets on what's on in Hong Kong, from cool events to shopping discounts, restaurants openings and more. With love from Sassy Hong Kong! The History of Hong Kong, a coastal island located off the southern coast of China, began with its incorporation into the Chinese empire during the Qin dynasty (221.

After the defeat of China in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula was occupied by Britain in 1. Convention of Peking, adding to the Crown Colony. A 9. 9- year lease of additional land on the mainland (the New Territories) and surrounding islands for defense and further development was granted in 1. As a result, after just slightly more than two weeks of fighting, Hong Kong was surrendered to the Japanese on 2. December 1. 94. 1, making it the first time the British lost a colony to an invading force.

After the war, despite American assurances that Hong Kong would be restored to China, the British moved quickly to regain control of Hong Kong. However, they had lost their aura of invincibility and could not continue to rule Hong Kong the way they used to before the war and all racist restrictions on non- Europeans owning property on prime real estate land were lifted. Hong Kong's post war recovery was astonishingly swift and within 2- 3 months all post- war economic restrictions were lifted and Hong Kong became a free market once again.

Unlike the restrictive policies imposed by the communists in China, the British government took a rather hands off approach in Hong Kong, as proposed by former financial secretary John James Cowperthwaite, which led to a high degree of economic freedom. Under such conditions, businesses flourished in Hong Kong and its economy grew rapidly, earning it a place as one of the East Asian Tigers. In 1. 99. 0, Hong Kong's GDP per capita surpassed that of Britain, the first time a colony's GDP per capita surpassed that of its colonial masters. Hong Kong is now the world's fourth largest financial centre after London, New York and Tokyo. The Walled City was evacuated and subsequently demolished in 1. Kowloon Walled City Park was built on the site. As Hong Kong developed, these regions became heavily integrated with the permanent cession.

As a result, by the time the lease was approaching expiration, it was considered highly impractical to separate the colony into two. Initial British proposals for joint administration of the entire colony were rejected by China and the international community, and in 1. Sino- British Joint Declaration created a . Hong Kong thus became a SAR of the People's Republic of China. In theory, Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy in most matters except foreign affairs and defence.

In practice, it is more complex than that. On the one hand, Beijing exerts much influence, on the other, there are increasing calls pushing for a more democratic regime and universal suffrage. In fact, the campaign for full democracy has been a major issue for China regarding Hong Kong in recent years, with protests drawing hundreds of thousands of residents demanding for full elections and denouncing the Chinese Communist Party, with some even proposing outright independence from China.

In fact, Hong Kong today is far more democratic than it ever was under British rule. In those days, a colonial governor with unlimited powers was appointed by the British without any local election or input at all. Now, a chief executive, chosen by an electoral college, has replaced the Colonial Governor.

It is also a member of international organisations that are normally restricted to sovereign states such as the WTO, APEC and the IOC. A significant number of Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese live here too, and many have families that have lived in Hong Kong for several generations. On Sundays, the free day of many foreign domestic workers, they congregate in the thousands in Central and Admiralty and spend the day there together, sitting talking, eating and drinking wherever there is free space. Several whole streets in the Central area are blocked off for foreign domestic helpers on Sundays. Summer (June to September) is long, humid and hot with temperatures often exceeding 3. Typhoons usually occur between June and September and can bring a halt to local business activities for a day or less (see natural disaster section). Christmas in Hong Kong is considered warm compared with many other Northern Hemisphere countries.

Chinese New Year is notorious for cold (1. Autumn is probably a more comfortable season as spring tends to be more humid and rainy. During the coldest days, most locals simply wear more layers even indoors. In a restaurant for example, it is not unusual to see customers eating with their jackets and scarves on.

Much has been written about its history, politics, economy, culture and social matters, and it has figured as an ideal background in many fictional works as well. Reading some of these books enables you to further understand the culture of Hong Kong before actually visiting it. This book contains the memoirs of Austin Coates. Each chapter is an entertaining episode of the Englishman's time as a colonial magistrate in the New Territories district.

East and West: China, Power, and the Future of Asia (Macmillan), Chris Patten. The memoirs of Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong.

Published in 1. 99. Patten provides his account of Hong Kong in the final years before the handover to China. Gweilo: Memories of a Hong Kong Childhood (Bantam Books), Martin Booth.

A well- written book that offers an insight into colonial life in Hong Kong through the eyes of a young English boy. Hong Kong: Epilogue to an Empire (Penguin Books), Jan Morris. In this well- written and detailed overview of the territory by a noted Welsh travel writer.

Morris alternates chapters on Hong Kong's history with descriptions of its geography, economy, politics and society. The book includes descriptive portraits of some of Hong Kong's leading politicians and entrepreneurs. The World of Suzie Wong (Fontana Press) Richard Mason. A classic novel published in 1. Set in Hong Kong, it is the fictional story of a young expat's romance with a Chinese woman.

Hong Kong Landscapes: Shaping the Barren Rock (Hong Kong University Press), Bernie Owen and Raynor Shaw. Beautifully illustrated, this is a fascinating guide to the territory's geology and geomorphology.

Film and cinema. The unrelated stories of two love- struck cops in Hong Kong. Its colourful and fast cinematography has been admired by Quentin Tarantino. The World of Suzie Wong, 1.

Based on the novel by Richard Mason, it is the fictional story of an expat's affair with a Chinese woman. The film has interesting footage of Hong Kong in the late 1. Electricity. Additionally, some hotels will have a bathroom with a parallel three- pin outlet which is designed for use with electric shavers, but might be used to re- charge a phone or rechargeable batteries. Electricity is 2.

Volts at 5. 0 Hertz. Most of Hong Kong's highest skyscrapers and the financial centre can be found here. Overall, Hong Kong Island is more modern and wealthy and considerably less dirty than the other areas of Hong Kong. The Peak is the tallest point on the island, with the best views and highest real estate values in the world. It offers a chaotic mix of malls, street markets, and residential tenements. With over 2. 1 million people living in an area of less than 4.

Kowloon is one of the most densely populated places in the world. Kowloon includes Tsim Sha Tsui (. Full of local restaurants, this area is famous for Tha. This is one of the last area in town where you can find low rise buildings.

In fact, 1. 0 years ago, the airport was very close by and it was not allowed to build more than 5 floors buildings. Walking around is a taste of local life. You will not find many idyllic villages, but once you get over the stray dogs and the ramshackle buildings you will find beautiful mountains and beaches. The airport, Disneyland, and the Ngong Ping cable car are located here. Highlights include Lamma (. For example, an Indian citizen who enters Hong Kong on 1 January and is given permission to land and stay as a visitor for 1.